Thill-coupling.



H. B. YOST.

THILL COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 8. 1915.

Patented Jan. 18, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET X.

w m M w H. B. YOST.

THILL COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 8. 1915.

Patented J an. 18, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

amoamtoz HENRY B. YOST, OF GREEN LANE, PENNSYLVANIA.

TI'iILL-GOUPLING.

Application filed Apri1 8, 1915.

, latter is securely held against possibility of accidental displacement.

A further object is to provide a thill coupling which will constitute an anti-rattler, which can be easily and quickly operated to release the thills whenever desired, and which will permit the necessary pivotal movement of the thill to allow pling.

A further object is to provide a thill cou pling which will be strong and durable, which will not detract from the general appearance of the vehicle, and which will con" stitute a safety device to prevent accidents which occur from disconnected or broken thill couplings.

With these and other objects. in view, the the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements oi parts as will be more fully hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure l is a view in side elevation illustrating my improved thill coupling, the axle being shown in section. Fig. 2 is an inverted plan view of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view in longitudinal section. Fig. 4- is a fragmentary top plan view. Fig. 5 is a view in longitudinal section on the line 5--5 of Fig. 4, and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the coupling pin.

1 represents an axle, and 2 a clip which straddles the axle, and at its lower ends is projected through a bar 3 and secured by nuts 4, screwed onto the threaded ends of the clip and against the bar.

The clip 2 is provided with two forwardly projecting shackle ears 5 and 6, the latter being appreciably wider than ear 5 as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and i. The cars 5 and 6 are provided with registering openings 7 to receive the coupling pin 8, which latter is projected through the eye 9 of the thill iron Specification of Letters Patent.

aperfect cou- Patented J 3111.18, 1916.

Serial No. 19,869.

10, said thill iron secured to the thill 11 by bolts 1201' other improved means.

The bar 3 pro ects forwardly beyond the axle 1, and is provided at its side edges with forwardly projecting fingers 13, and between these fingers 18, and bearing against the forward end of bar 3, is a spring 14-. The bar 3 acts as a fulcrum for the spring, and the upper end of the spring is provided with a shoe 15 which is curved on its forward face and bears against the eye 9 of thill iron 10. This shoe 15 is rigidly secured to the spring, and is provided at its upper end with laterally projecting lugs 16, which project over the upper suriace of the shackle ears 5 and 6, and prevent the spring from falling down between the shackle ears when released.

A hook 17 is secured to the rear member of the clip 2, by means of the rear nut 4, said hook securely clamped between the nut and the bar 3, and having flanges 18 at its sides engaging the sides of the bar 3 to prevent any pivotal movement of the hook.

A link 19 is suspended from the hook, and at its lower end pi votally supports alever 20. This lever is of general L-shape with the link 19 connected to the short end of the lever, while the spring l-i is connected by a pin 22 to the lever at the angle of the lever, and this angle of the lever is normally in a higher plane than the pivotal connection between the link 19 and the lever 20; and the pin 22, when the parts are in normal position, is in rear oi the two ends of the link, so that it is securely held against accidental movement. lli hen the lever in is this last-named position, as indicated clearly in Figs. 1 and 3, the spring 1% is put under tension, and the shoe l5 bears tightly against the eye 9. The coupling pin 8 above referred to is provided at one end with a crank arm 23, anda lug 2% is fixed to the coupling pin and moves through a recess in ear 6, when the coupling pin is slid into position or removed.

By reference particularly to Figs. 4 and 5, it will be noted that the ear 6 is slotted longitudinally, so that after the lug 24: is moved into normal position, the coupling pin can be turned by means of the crank arm 23 to position the lug 24 at the bottom of the pin as shown clearly in Fig. 5. During this movement of the lug, it encounters a spring catch 26, operating to first depress the spring catch, and then ride into a position in front of the spring catch, so that it cannot again be turned until the spring catch is released. This locking position is shown clearly in Fig. 5. To release the spring catch, I provide a tongue 27 which is secured to the spring catch, is of general curved form, and at its upper end is positioned above the ear 6, so that it can be pressed down by the thumb or finger to move the spring catch 26 downwardly out of the path of lug 24:, and allow the coupling pin 8 to be turned to position the lug 24 in line with the recess 25.

It is to be understood that the coupling pin cannot be removed until turned, so that its lug 24; registers with the recess 25, and the spring 26 normally prevents such turning movement, and also the weight of the crank arm 28 would prevent such movement in the event the spring should be broken. The construction, therefore, provides a double precaution against the accidental turning movement of the pin to a position which would enable it'to be withdrawn.

When it is desired to release the thill iron, lever 20. is swung downwardly, which movement causes the pin 22 to move forwardly, and after the latter passes the link 19, the spring 1% will operate to assist in such movement, and quickly throw the lever to open position and release the tension on the spring. The tongue 27 is then depressed to release spring catch 26 and coupling pin 8 can be turned and withdrawn when the lug 24L registers with the recess 25.

The laterally projecting lugs 16 on the shoe 15 will hold the shoe and the spring from falling out of position between the shackle irons, so that the parts will be maintained in such position ready for quick attachment when the thill iron is replaced.

Various slight changes might be made in the general form and arrangement of parts described without departing from my invention, and hence I do not limit myself to the precise details set forth, but consider myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

7 Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a thill coupling, the combination with a pair of shackle ears, and a thill iron located between the ears, of a 'couplingpin positioned in registering openings in the Copies of this patent may be obtained for shackle ears and thill iron, one of said ears having a slot therein, and a recess in one side of the ear connecting the opening in the ear and the slot, said pin having 2. lug thereon adapted to be moved through the recess into the slot and turned in the slot, and a spring catch in the slot adapted to engage the lug and hold the same against the end wall of the slot, substantially as described.

2. In a thill coupling, the combination with a pair of shackle ears, and a thill iron located between the ears, of a coupling pin positioned in registering openings in the shackle ears and thill iron, one of said ears having a slot therein, and a recess in one side of the ear connecting the opening in the ear and the slot, said pin having a lug thereon adapted to be moved through the recess into the slot and turned in the slot, a spring catch in the slot adapted to engage the lug and hold the same against'the end wall of the slot, said pin at one end having a relatively heavy crank arm constituting a handle and adapted to hold the lug by gravity out of register with the recess, substantially as described.

3. In a thill coupling, the combination with a pair of shackle ears, and a thill iron located between the ears, of a coupling pin positioned in registering openings in the shackle ears and thill iron, one of said ears having a slot therein, a recess in one side of the ear connecting the opening in the ear and the slot, said pin having a lug thereon adapted to be moved through the recess into the slot and turned in the slot, a spring catch secured to the ear and normally engaging the lug holding the pin against turning movement, a tongue secured to the spring catch and projecting through the slot with its upper end above the ear, said pin at one end having a relatively heavy crank arm constituting a handle and adapted to hold the lug by gravity out of register with the recess, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY B. YOST.

lVitnesses WM. H. SMITH, HARRY E. Yosr.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of i atents, Washington, D. G. 

